Darkness Falls: Memories by Child of the Faeries


This picks up several years after my last series, "Through Their Eyes". I would suggest you read that story first, or else references later in this story will be confusing....but that's okay. All of the Digi-Destined are in their late twenties or early thirties. Please read and review!!




Takeru sighed and leaned against the railing of his balcony. The city of Tokyo sprawled before his eyes, each house shimmering bright in the night.

Inside his apartment he could see his friends, laughing and having a good time. They didn't know the truth. They didn't remember.

"To change the future, change the past," he whispered softly to himself. "What if you want everything to go back to the way it was?" His heart hurt. Several years had passed, but love was one thing that would never go away.

He had given up his love, hoping for a better tomorrow. And for his four closest friends, it was a better tomorrow. Daisuke and Miyako flirted back and forth, while Hikari was helping Iori pick out some music. Everyone was so happy.....

Takeru was lonely. He gave Mimi up because he knew that would make their lives better. Koushiro and Mimi loved each other.

"It was the right thing to do," he tried to reassure himself, but nothing could fill the void he felt within himself. A sapphire tear rolled down his face. "No one knows the sacrifice I made. No one understands. I loved her and I had let her go...." Memories of every kiss they shared flooded his mind. Every sound of laughter and smile. Tears that fell from Mimi's eyes.

"Takeru?" Hikari whispered softly, laying a hand on his back. "Are you okay?" She pulled him close, staring intently into his face. "Are you crying?"

"No.... I....just want to be alone right now, Hikari," he muttered bleakly, rubbing the tears from his face. His pride stung a bit, but he didn't let it show.

Hikari looked at him for a few minutes, and hugged him close and whispered, "We're your friends, Takeru. We can help you."

As she walked back inside, Takeru whispered to himself," No one can help me."




The sound of a child's laughter met Koushiro's ear, and he smiled as his daughter walked into the room. "You're getting so big, Kenaz!" he exclaimed, hugging his daughter closely.

"Me wuv da-dy and da-dy wuv me," she said gleefully, and Koushiro kissed the top of her head.

"Yes, honey, I do love you." He smiled as Mimi walked into the room, scooping up their daughter.

"You are supposed to be in bed," she said sternly, and Kenaz grinned wickedly.

"Me want to see da-dy."

"I know, but now it's time for sleep," Mimi said. After Kenaz was placed back into bed, she returned and leaned against Koushiro's back. "What are you working on, Koushiro-kun?"

"My newest computer processing program. Administration says that there are still a few small bugs in it, but I can't find any."

Mimi looked outside at the beautiful trees that grew outside their house. She had never dreamed that she and Koushiro would get married and buy a cute little house in the outskirts of Tokyo. Having children had never crossed her mind. But now she couldn't imagine living without them.

"I love you, Koushiro. Don't you forget it," she said, playfully kissing his cheek. He turned and smiled.

"I love you too, Mimi. Now and forever. Even beyond death. Until tomorrow dies, and the sun will never rise again, I pledge my love to you."

Mimi felt a shiver of apprehension fill her.




"I turn around.....I can see what's behind me," Matt sang, his body swaying with the music. In front of him a crowd of thousands screamed his name, and he smiled. "Thank you, London! It's so good to be here, seeing all of your smiling faces. I must admit, I'm kind of embarrassed right now, so if you could all stop screaming my name, I would be able to sing much better-" The crowd started to roar louder, and Matt laughed. "I guess it's time for another song then." The drummer started up, and Ken moved alongside Matt, his fingers sliding quickly across the strings of his electric guitar.

"That was quite of concert!" Ken panted as the two of them left the stage. They could still hear the girls chanting their names.

"It was crazy," Yamato replied, collapsing in his dressing room. "I thought they'd never let us leave." The two friends grinned, and Yamato closed his eyes. "Want to go get something to eat? I'm sure no one will notice if we slip away for an hour or so." Ken nodded in agreement, and left to get his jacket.

Walking down the darkened streets of London, Ken looked up. "The stars look closer tonight than they ever have."

Yamato turned to face the glittering sky. "Maybe God's trying to give us a message."

"What kind of message?" Ken asked, his face puzzled.

"Maybe we should slow down and enjoy life a little bit. We've been on tour for about seven months now. I kind of miss all of our friends.... you know what I mean?"

"I do miss Jyou and the others," Ken said wistfully. "The guys in the band.... they're great and all..... but yeah. I kind of do wish we could go home."

"I'll talk to the others..... try and convince them to shorten the tour. These European cities are driving me crazy." They walked into a small English pub and seated themselves near the back. Yamato took out his cigarettes and lit one.

"I thought you quit those," Ken object, and Yamato met his eyes.

"I'm a bit stressed out right now, Ken. Lay off." Ken smiled, and dropped the issue. I wish we were going home, Yamato thought to himself. Seeing Takeru and the others. Talking to Koushiro.

A waitress arrived and Ken ordered for both of them. When she returned, Yamato took his drink and swallowed a large amount of it. "Careful, Yamato. You're going to end up drunk if you do that," Ken admonished, taking a small sip of his alcohol. Yamato laughed and swallowed more, Ken following in suit.

Late into the night, the two friends ordered drinks and talked about the past. "Do you remember years ago, roaming around the town together? And then we helped Jyou live through his father's beating?" Ken asked, his eyes dark. "I was so angry...."

Yamato blinked, the alcohol fogging his mind. "What about it?"

"I've been having dreams.... bad dreams," Ken whispered. "Nightmares, really. You, me, and Jyou.....overthrew the government and made ourselves the three kings..."

Yamato jumped. "What?"

"And we killed....... we killed our friends," Ken said sadly, a tear falling for his eye. "We shot Miyako and Iori and Taichi....Mimi died, too...... Yamato, why am I having this dream? Every night, it's the same. Every night we shoot and kill and our anger grows......" Ken cursed over his breath and took another drink. "I'm afraid to go to sleep at night. I lay in my bed for hours, listening to the clocks tick and the car pass on the streets below. I'm going insane, Yamato. I can't live like this anymore....." Ken slurred, and he spilled his beer all over the table.

"I don't know, Ken......I don't know," Yamato whispered to his friend. That was over. No one knew about it, no one except for Yamato, Koushiro and Takeru. They had been given a second chance, undoing the future by reliving the past.

Why then was Ken remembering it after all of these years?




"Miss Takenouchi, may I speak with you for a moment?" Taichi said with a laugh as he entered Sora's flower shop. She smiled and gave him a big hug.

"What is it, Taichi-kun?" she asked, kissing his cheek. Taichi grinned and put his hand around her waist.

"I just wanted to stop in and say hi. And ask you to dinner tonight. We haven't gone out on a date for two days now....." he said, making a puppy-dog face. Sora laughed.

"You know I can't resist you," she said, brushing her hand gently through his wild hair. "Fine. Is seven okay?"

"Anything's great for me, love." Sora turned and started to arrange some flowers.

"How's work today, Taichi? You looked tired."

"Being a gym teacher isn't easy, believe me. Kids these days..... have no respect for determination and bravery."

"Don't be so hard, Taichi. You were a child just like them. Sometimes I still think you are a child."

Taichi smiled and kissed the back of Sora's neck. "I need to go back to school now. Lunch is almost over."

"I'll see you later," Sora said cheerily as Taichi headed out the door. She turned back to arranging her flowers.

"Traitor. You were the traitor, and you betrayed all of us, Sora Takenochi. How dare you call yourself our friend," a feminine voice whispered from the shadows. "You will die."

"Wh-what?" Sora asked, turning around. But no one was there.





Jun nervously walked into the hospital, every person's smile a threat. Squeezing her eyes shut, she walked blindly through the crowded hallway, trying to block out the light. Fear engulfed her.

A man called out in surprise as she ran into him. "I'm sorry," he said, apologetically. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's okay," Jun whispered, her eyes darting in all directions. The man looked at her, his blue hair shining in the light. He looked strangely familiar.....

"Are you all right?" he said. "My brother is a doctor here, and-"

"I'm fine," Jun said desperately, brushing by. Their eyes met, and Jun felt all of her fears melting away.

His eyes were filled with compassion and peace- peace her tormented soul would never find. And he looked so like someone out of a dream." Who are you?" she whispered, wanting desperately to leave and yet wanting to stay.

"Jyou. Kido Jyou," he said softly. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine," Jun said, and she disappeared into the crowd. Kido Jyou. Who was that? She had never met anyone by that name.

And yet, when she looked into his eyes, she knew, deep in her heart, that she had once known him well. And she hungered for the contentment he had found.





Jyou walked silently to the subway station. A light ran fell, and he let the mist land onto his face. At the subway station he paused to by a magazine and got into shuttle. Smiling, he thumbed to the page where Yamato and Ken's band was interviewed.

They were so lucky. Everything was going great in their lives. Thousands of fans screamed their names, wanting autographs, kisses, letters..... "I miss them," Jyou said with a sorrowful smile.

When he arrived home, he didn't even bother to turn on the lights. It was already almost 11:30, and Jyou had to work in the morning. Shin was still at work in the hospital and wouldn't be going home until later.

Walking into the kitchen, he started some rice. While it boiled, he walked into his bedroom. Pictures of all of his friends lined the walls- the band playing at concerts, Taichi and Sora kissing in front of the soccer field the day of the championship game- the game Taichi injured himself, never able to play soccer again. Hikari and Takeru were there too, smiling with the other young Digi-Destined at a picnic.

"We used to be so close," Jyou mused, sitting on the edge of his bed and picking up a picture of him, Yamato and Ken. "Now life has torn us apart."

When the rice had finished, Jyou ate it quickly. The clock chimed midnight as he slipped silently into bed, welcoming sleep.




~*~ Candles flickered, their fragile flames dancing in a bright circle, showing Jyou everything in the room and yet hiding everything. Shadows leapt between the flames. Sobbing. Jyou could hear someone sobbing.

The smell of blood seared his nose, making him nauseous. Someone had died.

Pink hair.

Cursing.

"Kido Jyou," his voice whispered.

"Ichijouji Ken." Another echoed.

"Ishida Yamato." Jyou spun in a circle, confused.

"United in anger." The low rumbling of thunder filled the room, and Jyou felt a presence- the presence of evil.

Three knives, covered in blood.

A girl appeared, her slim body wrapped in shadows. "You don't remember the past, don't wish to relive the memories. But I do. I know what happened." Her voice was ice cold, chilling Jyou to the bone.

"What do you mean?" Jyou yelled, the circle of candles getting smaller and smaller.

"The game begins now," she cooed, walking closer. In her hand she held a blue rose, which she threw at Jyou's feet. He bent down and picked it up, fascinated.

"Beware, Kido Jyou," she whispered harshly. "You will be the first to die." Jyou blinked and tried to get a good view of the girl, but the shadows hid her well.

"Who are you? What are these things?" Jyou cried out. The sobbing became louder, drowning his thoughts in a wave of sorrow and horror.

A flash of vengeful eyes, and the girl whispered, "Darkness falls," the room plunging into blackness. ~*~




Jyou awoke to the incessant beeping from his alarm clock. Groaning, he stretched out, ready for another hard day at work.

"What a weird dream," he muttered to himself, while trying to find the mouthwash. Ready for work, he walked back into his room, looking for his shoe.

His eyes fell on the bed, and he stood, transfixed.

On his pillow sat the blue rose.







"The world becomes a dream and the dream reality."- Novalis.

Well, thoughts, questions, suggestions??? Please read and review!!